Waiting
by A-shiningstar
Summary: This is my version of what could happen in Season 3. It starts near the end of Season 2. Primarily the story is about Beth and JJ. Please tell me what you think! Thanks!
1. The Last Letter

**Waiting**

Written By: Robin

Author's Note: This is my first American Dreams fic. Please tell me what you think! Thanks!

Disclaimer: I am not in any way affliated with American Dreams. This is just for fun. I took the letter that appears in here from the offical American Dreams website. Click on JJ's Letter's for more letters.

**Part 1**

The last suitcase was placed on the floor of Meg's room. The rest were on the bed. Meg sat on the edge of bed, and watched her father say a few words to Beth, who was still teary-eyed, but she was smiling. Beth hugged him and then he left the room. Beth eyes met Meg's and they shared a sigh. But before either of them could speak, Helen entered the room, carrying some folded sheets, a blanket, and a pillow.

"These are practically brand new." She said to no one in particular. She then started to clear the smaller bags from the bed. "Meg can move in with Patty, or maybe Patty and Will can share a room and..." She rattled on.

"This is too much to ask..." Beth started, but was immediately cut off.

"No!" Said both Meg and Helen.

Beth dropped her head as tears began to fill her eyes once more.

Helen, stopped working with the bed, and approached Beth. She took her hands in hers, and spoke softly. "Beth, you are not imposing. You are family." She gave a soft smile and a gentle squeeze to the hand of the young woman who was carrying her grandchild.

Looking into Mrs. Pryor's eyes Beth felt a little less of a burden. She eyed Meg who was staring out the window. "Thanks, Helen." Then she added, "If I'm family and not a guest, then I can do this." She gestured to the bed and suitcases.

Helen threw her hands up and said, "Ok, then, but if you need anything please let me know." And with that she gave Beth a hug and left the room.

Meg spoke up as soon as her mother had left the room. "It's the best room. The biggest." Her voice wasn't sad, or happy per say but genuinely welcoming. "I mean of course I'll miss it a bit, but it's better for you, and eventually the baby too." She turned from the window and smiled.

Beth started adjusting the sheets and blankets that Helen had brought in, "Perhaps. But you don't have to leave so soon." She said glancing up at Meg.

Meg grabbed the other end of the sheet, and helped. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you don't have to move into Patty's room. It could be like a sleep over. That is until I get too huge or hormonal for you to want to be around me."

Meg smiled. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Of course not." Beth assured her while tucking the corner of the sheet under the mattress. "It will be fun. You can take my mind off things."

"Well, if I bother you just let me know, and I'll leave."

Beth nodded in agreement. They finished making the bed, and then proceed to turn it back down. Meg left the room, to go get ready, for bed.

Beth put on her summer nightwear, and opened the window a bit more. Then she retrieved an envelope, from one of the bags yet to be unpacked. She had recieved it earlier that day, as she was packing. It was from J.J. She sat on the bed, tracing the lines of the envelope. It was first time he had written her since Hawaii. She carefully opened the letter and unfolded the paper. It had been weeks since he had written this. It always took so long for letters to make it from overseas. She tried to stop the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes, as she began to read...

_Dear Beth, _

_I've started writing you about ten times now and I can't figure out what to say. Everything went from so good to so...bad. And so fast. I go back in my mind to what I could have done different, but if I'd said differnt things, I would have been lying to you. And that's one thing I never want to do again is lie to you. I know you don't want to lie to me either, and that's why neither of us can hold back saying those things to each other. And that's why we're in trouble. The truth is...I don't think we belong together right now. I'm sorry._

_The thought of you at home waiting for me, planning our future together...up until now, it;s kept me going out here. But if you don't understand what I'm doing here...why I need to be here...to do the things Clovis didn't get a chance to do...I don't know, Beth...I guess we just don't get each other anymore._

_I feel bad you came all the way to Hawaii and it was such a mess. You looked beautiful. Anyway, I'm sorry. There's not much more I can say so I guess I'll just go ahead and send this._

_Take care, Beth. I hope you find someone who makes you happy._

_JJ_

As she finished reading, uncontrollable sobs washed over her. She knew he had no way of knowing. He had no idea, that in Hawaii as they separated part of them was joining forever. She cried because JJ did not know he was going to be father. She cried because she felt alone even though the Pryor's were doing their best to make her feel welcome. And she cried because the one and only person who could make her happy was half a world away.


	2. Beth's Diary 8311965 and 911965

**Part 2**

August, 31st 1965

Dear Diary,

I'm living with the Pryor's now. They are so kind and welcoming, so different from my own family. My parents came over the other day, to try to "talk some sense into me." They are so against me having this baby, just like they were against me dating JJ, against me wanting to marry JJ. They have always thought I could do better. I never really wanted to do better though. When you are in love, you are in love, and the amount of money their family has or what social circles they run in doesn't matter. The Pryor's are good people. And no matter what happens in the future with JJ and me, I will always love him...and his family.

My mother thinks I am making the worst mistake of my life. She can't accept I am no longer a child or that I'm having this baby. She doesn't even call it a baby. She thinks of it as thing. I know she would have rather me just have an abortion and this thing...this problem would be gone forever. Then we could all forget about it and go about our lives as if it never happened. But I could never do that. This is my baby. Its mine and JJ's...I could never make something we created, something so precious, something that has just begun to be, go away forever.

When they came to visit I learned something about Mrs. Pryor I had not known. It was because my mother asked Helen to imagine that it was her child...her child who would go through the rest of her life with this hanging over her head. My mother said she couldn't possibly know, but she was wrong. Mrs. Pryor does know, probably more so than anyone. She was pregnant when she married Jack...pregnant with JJ....

My parents then verbally attacked the Pryor's. Since there was pretty much nothing else she could say or do, Helen said she would show them to the door. Then my Father said, "Like Father like son, I guess?" I seriously felt like vomiting in that moment and I don't think it was morning sickness...To see Mrs. Pryor be verbally slapped in the face, and for the words to have come from my own Father's mouth! Helen is so strong though, and she didn't let the words get to her. I don't think I could have been as strong as her in that moment. I hope she made them feel horrible. It was for the best that they left.

I truly admire Helen for the grace and dignity in which she handled the whole situation with my parents, and how she continues to be understanding. For example, Father Conti set up a gathering for Mr. Pryor, and they wanted all of the children to be there, and me. Mr. Pryor was getting pressured from people to say that JJ and I are married, since I'm expecting his baby. I didn't want to lie to people though. To tell the truth, I am not sure what will happen with JJ and I. But Helen was willing to make excuses for me at the party. She said I didn't have to attend. I did though. I wanted to.

I suppose it's a good thing I did attend. Mr. Pryor is very brave. He doesn't care what people think. He told everyone the truth. He stopped Father Conti right in the middle of his introduction of me and my baby (he called me Beth Pryor, the wife of Jack's oldest son JJ... it felt wrong. Not him calling me that, but I'm not Beth Pryor, at least not yet. I'm not even certain I will be Beth Pryor) and explained that yes I was having a baby, but that we weren't married yet. I think he did a good job of making it not about me or the baby, but about JJ, who is away fighting in the war. He explained that we spend most of our time praying that JJ makes it home safe, and when he does then make it home then and these were his exact words "He and Beth they can figure out what they are going to do." It makes me happy to know that Mr. and Mrs. Pryor aren't going to push JJ and me into something that we might not want to do. I have new admiration for Mr. Pryor. It took a lot of courage to stand up in front of all those people, people that he may lose votes from now...

Of course I seriously doubt that will have much to do with us now. Before the party was over completely Meg called from jail. She had been arrested at the sit-in. The police arrested a bunch of them, Sam, Drew, and lots of people I know from school. I just don't think having a daughter get arrested for protesting the war will go over well with the voters...

I wonder when JJ will receive my letter. I feel horrible telling him in a letter. I was mistaken about something though. I thought that no one could want JJ home more than I do, and that no one loves him as much as I do. But I was wrong. Will does. That little boy truly amazes me at how much he looks up to JJ. He completely and utterly loves his big brother. JJ can do no wrong in Will's eyes. It's this amazing unconditional love they share. I just hope someday, our son or daughter will feel the same way about their Daddy.

I sent JJ a letter about the baby. I had the hardest time writing it. I mean that is something you need to tell someone face to face or at least over the phone...but this had to do. If I wouldn't have told him, Helen would have written a letter to tell him. I wish I could see his face when he finds out. I wonder if he will be as scared as I was when I found out. Or maybe he will be happy...I guess I'll never know how he truly reacted when he first read the letter. All I can do is to wait for a response.

September, 1st 1965

Dear Diary,

Today I went to the doctors. Everything is going well; my due date is approximately April 15th, 1966. Dr. Robinson is very kind, and I know he means well. Today he tried to pitch the whole adoption thing to me again. I let him know I had already thought about that and decided that I couldn't do it. He let me listen to the baby's heartbeat through a stethoscope. It was so amazing. I cried. I think it kind of made it all sink in. It's real to me now. I mean it was before but now I mean I heard its little heart beating so fast. I wish JJ could have been there. A few ladies husbands were there with them. Not many. Even if JJ was home I would have probably had to drag him there.

He has probably got the letter I sent by now. At least I hope. Everyday I pray that he is alright. I watch the news sometimes, and it scares me to death to know that he is right in the middle of all that. One of the other women in the waiting room was talking to another lady. I didn't mean to listen but I couldn't help it. She was very emotional. Her husband has been reported to be Missing In Action, which probably means he's never coming back. It doesn't mean he's dead, though. The lady she was telling all this too kept reassuring her to not give up hope. I'm not sure what I would do or how I would react if I found out something like that had happened to JJ.


End file.
